By blog team member, Kiran. To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page!
Before you read this, I'm asking you to do me a favor: Please don't judge.
I started working with Lisa two years ago, but I actually have known her for years. I watched her start this blog, kept up with the original 100-Day pledge, and prior to working with her, took in little bits and pieces of her input. But to be honest, I thought that I was pretty healthy already, and I thought she may have been taking this a little further than I would (again, I'm being totally honest). Flash forward to 2012 when I started to work with her at 100 Days of Real Food.
Two Years Ago
As I mentioned, I thought my family was already eating healthy. I cooked many nights of the week, and by that I don't mean I was just opening a bag of chicken nuggets. But like many, I was using some processed foods such as store bought white tortillas, and I certainly wasn't shredding my own cheese. I even (gasp!) had a can or two of cream of mushroom soup in my pantry.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
After getting better acclimated to Lisa's real food rules, I did decide to start making some changes. This didn't happen overnight, however. Now, jump back to today, two years after not only being a solid follower but a member of the team.
Where We are Today
I have the most respect for Lisa and her family, and I try my darndest to eat and feed my family as best I can when it comes to following the rules. But we are not 100%. No, in all honesty, I'm going to say that we are probably 85-90%. But that's just realistic for us. I almost said "unfortunately," but really, it is what it is. I can't make it to the farmer's market each week, and honestly, feeding a family of six, we can't afford to buy every single thing organic. Everyone's situation is different and some changes were easier for us to make than others.
Our successes include the following:
- Switching over to whole wheat.
I ditched the white tortillas, the so-called wheat bread (with 15+ processed ingredients), and swapped out my flour to whole-wheat (or white whole-wheat) flour. I went on a huge bread baking kick and honestly didn't do too badly with it. But time and dishes got the best of me; so these days, I do occasionally bake our whole-wheat bread, but otherwise I get it from Great Harvest. - Opting for organic.
I got smarter about where I was buying our food (i.e. ditching one grocery store in favor of another) and aim to buy organic whenever possible, keeping the dirty dozen chart in mind. I also always choose organic milk now, which I was not doing before. - Minimizing the meat.
Especially since I am feeding a family of six, I don't buy all organic/local meats. Instead, I opt to not offer as much meat as we were eating two years ago (which was a lot). This will forever be a challenge for my husband, but eating less meat means that I can fill our plates up with more veggies and/or fruit. - Swapping out (and reducing) sugar.
This was actually much easier than I thought, and I'm happy to report that I haven't had one complaint from my kids on this one. They tend to favor maple syrup over honey, and I also use dates sometimes in baking. - Purging the packaged goods.
Personally speaking, this was the most difficult for us. I was a huge Wheat Thin addict. I loved them and had them multiple times each day. I thought I was doing well by switching over to Special K crackers (remember your promise to not judge?). No lie—it took me 12-18 months to get them out of our pantry. But I'm happy to report that I'm a recovering addict. My kids were the same with Goldfish. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for them, I just stopped buying them. And I'm also happy to report that if they are served Goldfish at Girl Scouts (don't get me started) or elsewhere, they actually say they don't really like them. Tastebuds do change!
The Other 15%
I mentioned that we eat about 85% real food. So where does that extra 15% lie? Well, remember that I don't buy everything organic. I don't make my own tortillas all the time, but I do opt for the ones with the least ingredients. I also have a sweet tooth, and I don't always (ok, almost never) choose the better dark chocolate. We go out to eat maybe once a week, and I'm the only one in my family who would have any desire whatsoever to find a restaurant that serves local food (I'd love a vegetarian one, at that). No, my family prefers a favorite pizza place that we've been frequenting for 10+ years. And no matter how hard I try to convert my kids over to 1-ingredient peanut or almond butter, they just won't leave their beloved Jif (albeit the "natural" version - though I'm not sure how much better that makes me feel!).
I have to pick my battles, though. And for me, settling for 85% is just the best that I'm going to be able to do at this point in time. Looking back, I realize all the positive changes that Lisa has helped my family make. And I know that there are so many more that we can make in the future.
Positive Changes in Our Health
A lot of times I read a story about someone or some family making changes, and I wonder, did this really change them? Or after hearing their story, even though it sounds like a success story, I wonder, should I try it? And why?
So here is my proof; here are some positive changes that I and/or we have experienced:
- Change in tastebuds/cravings. I now crave raw, cut vegetables instead of my former beloved Wheat Thins.
- Satisfaction. A feeling of satisfaction after meals instead of hunger that used to ensue 20-30 minutes after a meal.
- Regularity. Not one of my kids has any issue with this, which I attribute to the natural fibers they consume on a daily basis.
- Regularity of a different form. I had irregular menstrual periods for years. They are now like clockwork.
- Decreased sickness.
- Increased energy.
So now that I've shared my realistic journey, please share some of your successes and potential goals for the future with me. How has Lisa helped you change? Are you 100%? 90%? 50%? No matter where you are on this journey, let this serve as a reminder that when it comes to cutting out highly processed foods, any small changes are encouraging and far better than none!
Dana says
Fantastic blog!!!! I, too am still on this journey and are probably 80% in… Small changes continuously help move us along the way.
Skye says
This was refreshing to read - we are at about 85% here. I try to cut out things slowly and replace with the good stuff as we run out of stuff. I started making my own breadcrumbs and even granola bars. I think if you try to do everything at once, it's too overwhelming. If I need to buy something pre-made from the store like pretzels, I always try to use the "5 ingredient or less" rule and that has worked out really well - found pretzel sticks from beigel & beigel that have 5 ingredients. They taste great too and replace the other processed chemically pretzel sticks we were buying. Loving this website by the way - it's my goto for most things 'food' now.
ven says
first all id say we are about 95% real food. my husband prefers store bought cereal over home made and while i buy the least processed, most organic, non gmo i can, i need convenience foods! apple sauce packets for my 15 month old, and every once in a while take out pizza, and all beef hot dogs. i would say eating organic is so much cheaper with my costco membership! organic beef,chicken,cheese,beets,lettuce,carrots,coconut oil,etc. super cheap organic cage free eggs 2 dozen 6.79.
yesenia says
We love tortillas, we just have to have them; but we have pretty much gotten rid of everything that is GMO so buying them organic can get expensive. I bought the flour from Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina on Amazon; the ingredients say it just corn, & lime. I was worried that their corn was GMO corn but my local healthfood store contacted them and they swear they don't use gmo seeds at all. They're simple to make just add hot water & salt let sit for an hour and press them. (must get a press though..again Amazon is great) ok but they do take a bit of time by the time you're done. We love cheese and it sure would be nice to eat less of it. My current battle is not buying so much of the premade cereal boxes, they have so much sugar in them. So I've been making granola at home and found a pancake recipe that used a mix of several flours spelt/amaranth/oat and the kids were full with 2 pancakes, which usually with white flour it's 4-5 pancakes. I got fed up with thinking how crazy for them to eat that many pancakes, I've known that it's because they have zero nutrients but I was finally frustrated enough to make a change.
Courtney @ Family Gone Healthy says
I am totally the same way. I think with kids especially, it is hard to be 100% real food. I want my daughters to enjoy going to birthday parties and eating pizza with their friends. My family also follows the "80/20" rule when it comes to clean eating.
Why I follow the 80/20 rule: http://familygonehealthy.com/general/follow-8020-rule-comes-eating-real-food/
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
Fantastic post! It is a journey and we are all at different places. I loved reading through the comments, too. So many positive stories of lives being drastically changed through diet. It's so inspiring to read!
Jessica P. says
What an inspirational post!! Our family just hit the one year mark of starting our journey and we are STILL not 100%. it is so refreshing to hear that we are not the only ones still working on this amazing journey. a lot of our reason is because of where we are currently stationed and the limited access, availability, and price of organic. we hope that once we get back to the states that we might be able to make a few more steps in the direction of being 100%. but, along with diet, we have also changed our cleaning and toiletry items to natural/organic or homemade, so i believe that even if not 100% organic diet, all the little small steps in all the other areas add up and not only make a big difference in our health, but the health of the world. oh, and there have been SEVERAL times when my kids have been offered a type of food that we used to eat, get excited about getting to eat it, then tell us how yucky it tasted!!!!! when i hear that, it makes even the smallest changes we've made feel like a giant leap in the right direction!!!And, health changes that we have seen are abundant!! the greatest story is my husband whom we thought was lactose intolerant, but since buying organic milk and milk products and eliminating carrageenan, he has not had a single issue with his digestion after consuming dairy in any form!! thank you to the entire staff of 100 Days of Real Food for all the work that you do!!! :)
Fabiola Roselli says
Kiran it's nice to know we are not the only ones who struggle to follow the 100 day pledge. We have removed most of the packaged processed food from our home and buy most organic dairy and vegetable products. My husband has a sweet tooth and always wants a treat after dinner. This is why I try to make healthier home made desserts. But, once in a while he still buys process junk :/ It's all about small steps and perseverance.
Carolyn, I buy ak-mak crackers. Lisa uses them too. They are 100% whole wheat and are organic.
Lil says
I totally agree with you! Every family has to do what works for them. I find over time small changes become habits and we are always moving closer to 100% real food.
OG says
I love this post. We are about 75% with celiac, which adds an extra level of challenge. Before learning about this last year, I'd say we were more like 90-95%. I've realized that I can't do everything and have to let some things go.
Here is my question for you regarding changing taste buds- my daughter (6yo) used to be a great eater. This year she has been fed more junk than ever at school, daisy scouts, birthdays, etc.. She is really resisting the food offered at home. My response is, "we don't eat that in our house." Any tips? I am beyond irritated with all the trash that people seem to think kids like to eat.
MariahC says
OG,
We are about the same. We are a family of 6, 3 completive athletes and 2 of my kids have celiac, diary allergy and peanut allergy, and a vegan. I simply cannot go 100%, not with sports schedules, my work, school, and everything else. We are around 80-90% (on a good week). I cook most everything but that may included a GF pizza crust, hormel (i know... horrible) pepperoni, and the lowest sodium sauce I can find.
My 5yr is also becoming resistant and she is one of the GF/DF/PF kidos. We are already incredibly limited and she is now refusing her past favs... help would be great!!!
kathy says
OG - I just wanted to say that I agree 100% with your frustrations because we are going through the same thing over here. I have a 7-yr-old daughter who is doing the exact same thing . . . refusing all the healthy food because of all the junk she gets elsewhere. There is no hope of her "taste buds changing" under the circumstances. I was wondering, for example, why her lunches were coming home uneaten . . . go to lunch at school with her to discover that one child brings her "extra" oreos every day, another one splits his doritos with her, and another doesn't want his chocolate milk, so she drinks it every day. They take care of her "because she doesn't get any good stuff in her lunch". To say I am angry is an understatement. People, I couldn't care less what you feed your kids . . . JUST STOP FEEDING MY DAUGHTER. Its so frustrating.
Gerri Diiorio says
Thank you for your honesty. Sept 11th, 2012, I quit eating processed food and started buying differently for my husband and me. He was not totally on board yet but supported my desire to get and eat healthily.
We started going to the gym. I bought organic when I was able. We chose differently when we ate out. My husband is Italian-- AND a cook, so we predominately cooked our evening meal. With the changes in my purchasing, our meals became more "Real".
As of Sept 11, 2013... one year later, my husband no longer requires high blood pressure medicine or statins for his cholesterol. (verified by blood tests and his doctor) He also lost 25 -30 pounds. (He struggles with a massive sweet tooth).
I lost 44 pounds. I sleep at night. I am amiable rather than crabby and feel absolutely fantastic!! I wear sizes that I passed before I entered high school.
I should mention that we are in the 57 -61 year age group.
We, also (even though I would prefer not) have to choose to "put the blinders on" at times. We are a social couple and are in situations that prohibit us from eating as we would prefer.
We have a backyard that is about 450 square feet. We FILL it with produce. We can, we dry and we freeze. This year we found friends that have much more available planting area than we do that want a garden but are lost in starting it.
Sooo.... we are growing what they want in their garden and using excess space to grow what we haven't room for.
Today, right now, in fact, my husband is on his way home with 1/4 pig that we purchased with friends. We know the farmer, the way the pig was grown, the way he was treated and what he was fed. My husband was there at the slaughter and brought home the head and the liver.
Nothing like FRESH liver pate.
We are doing what we can, however we can, and becoming healthier for it.
My point is.... In all things in life, you have to pick and choose your fights. I choose to wear my blinders at times but choose to stow them away mostly.
Krista says
Since the Mom Conference, I've been really trying to buy foods without preservatives, etc. It's really hard here when organic milk is $14 for 4L and organic eggs are $5+ per dozen (as opposed to $7 and $2.50 for non-organic)! Don't even talk about produce! LOL. I'm assuming this is more expensive than other places.
I do have a question: I have borrowed a breadmaker and started making the honey WW bread. I am wondering how to store it. It makes one loaf at a time and even so, the next day or by the second day, it's hard as rock. I stored it in the same bags as commercial bread.
Thanks,
Krista
Lori says
Krista -
I was intrigued by your question as I make almost all of my own bread and have encountered this issue. I just dealt with it, but knew there must be an answer out there. I can't claim this as a (personally) tried and true method, and I'm not sure how it would change the flavor of the bread, but a BuzzFeed (yes, really) post called 34 Ways to Waste Less Food (Happy Earth Day!) claims that putting a clean, fresh (I would add dry) celery stalk in the bag will keep the bread fresh longer because of the moisture in the celery.
Happy eating!
Sarah says
I have recently decided to start adding 2 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to my bread (pretty sure this is a rule breaker, but a small one, and it's either that or go back to store bought that has a ton of bad stuff in it. I figure the small amount of extra ingredient is the better option ) any way, vital wheat gluten helps rise a whole wheat bread, and helps it keep it's shape and softness longer. My brad is just as soft as when I made it 5-6 days later! I was also slicing it all at once and decided to just slice as we go to keep it soft. I store mine in a plastic non zip bag, sold with zip locks and stuff, then in our bread jar
I also make home made croutons or stuffing from the harder stale loafs that don't get eaten up.
Anna says
Usually by day 4 or 5 is when it seems a bit dry, but not hard, for us. I used to store it in a ziploc baggie, but most of the times the loaves were to big. So now I just wrap the loaf in foil. 2 long pieces. I know a lot of people have problems with foil, but it seems to keep it really moist. I do wrap when it is slightly warm still so maybe that makes a difference too. Usually the only problem I have is worrying that it will mold if we don't eat in 4-5 days, so then I just stick it in the freezer for bread crumbs later.
Krista says
Maybe "dense" is a better word than "dry" for the bread after a day or two...or maybe, we're just used to needing 2 slices to fill us up but only 1 of 'my' bread...I wonder if less flour would help...hmmm...
I was pleasantly surprised to find organic milk at my grocery store on sale today for less than regular...bought 16L to freeze! LOL
Tina Shoemake says
Thank you for this post! I am a SAHM of a 14 yr old, 10 yr old, and 3 yr old. We are on a very tight budget, and my husband and 10 yr old son are not 100% on board with getting rid of all the processed foods. I struggle with keeping the groceries within our budget, without cutting out processed foods, so it is very difficult to make the switch for us. We also live in a small town where the nearest worthwhile farmer's market or Whole Foods is an hour away. I am doing everything I can, but so many blogs and individuals make it seem like you're still failing miserably, if you aren't eating 100% real food, organic, grass-fed, etc., etc. It is nice to get some encouragement. I don't want to get a full-time job and have someone else care for my children, just so I can feed them healthier meat. I understand why it is important, but each family is different. For now, my kids have to eat Wal-mart chicken, but they have a mom who can be here for them. I am looking forward to the day when we will be at about 90%, but for now I'm going to settle for about 60%.
Sherahl says
I have been slowly working my diet to 100% real food, and over the last year I have been able to reduce all inflammation in my joints and I can now say happily that I am able to get up and down on the floor and play with my grandkids the way I want to and run and play with them. In January of 2013 I could barely walk up stairs so it is a definite change due to my diet. I also was able to rid myself of many digestive issues and am no longer taking my Prilosec for reflux. So happy to be off this prescription medication after 20 years! Go for it - it is so worth it!
Carolyn says
Please share, what do you eat instead of crackers? Fresh veggies just don't go as well w/ a glass of wine, as does a cracker and cheese...
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
You know, I love nuts and eat them all the time. They actually go really well with wine! Pair them with an occasional whole wheat pretzel or two with some cheese. Let me know if you like it!
Heather says
Popcorn!!! Air popped of course! I don't do butter just salt and pepper. I like things a little spicy!
Sarah says
Original triscuiits are a good store bought option, and Lisa has a great easy recipe for home made whole wheat crackers. Also pop corn, and 100% whole wheat pretzels
Kyra says
Original Triscuits have less than 5 ingredients!
Beka says
Great post. We started changing our habits several years ago, but we've never been 100%. More like 80/20 or 90/10. Where we live now, for example, we have no Whole Foods or Sprouts .... not even a full scale grocer (but that's about to change! Yay!). We make a once monthly trip to a bigger city where I shop at Trader Joe's, a local co-op grocery and sometimes Whole Foods. But it's a 4-hour roundtrip, so it's not like I can just go grab organic meat and veg for dinner. One local grocer does sell some organic produce, but only a few items and they are often not fresh and crazy expensive. We have a farmer's market, but it's small and only open late May - October. I cook most meals from scratch, but i dont make my own bread or tortillas. We often eat Kraft cheese, because that's what i can find and i cant afford $12/lb. for organic cheese. We have no local milk options, but we buy meat and eggs from a local farm. You just have to work with what's available to you.
Karen says
Thanks for sharing! Our family is also making the journey to real foods and it is a journey. Both my husband and I work and we have two very busy kids. Just like you, we are doing what works for our family today. I count it as a success when my kids ask me to bake whole wheat bread because it now tastes better than the store bought bread and they don't turn up their noses at the dinner I cook with tons of extra veggies mixed in.
Sue says
How refreshing to read your article. I am an "all or nothing" type personality, so it's nice to know that it is Okay to not be completely there. I have eating challenges and have to be careful of fiber, so eating too much fruit and vegetables can make me really sick. Plus I don't really enjoy cooking that much, so we eat out, although not as much as we used to. So small changes, here and there, works for me right now.
Tricia says
Love it, thank you for the honesty! It's funny that you mentioned tortilla's several times. I grew up (and currently live in) Wisconsin, but my husband grew up in Albuquerque. Before I met him I'd eaten maybe 5 tortilla's in my entire life... Now I eat them almost every day. Unfortunately I despise the hassle of making them homemade, and I've never been successful at it even once! And the 'healthy' ones from the grocery store cost a fortune and taste like cardboard. Can anyone share a healthy, tasty, easy recipe for tortillas?
Katy says
Thanks for this post. We do our best and I know there are more things we could do, but you pick your battles. Sometimes I feel like the people who comment on 100 Days' FB posts can be very judgy, without understanding that there are extenuating circumstances sometimes. With a son with Asperger's, certain foods will just never happen in our house. There is no way that I would take goldfish away from him when they are his favorite comfort food (and one of a handful of foods that he even eats); HOWEVER, I do at least buy the whole-grain ones and limit him to one serving a day.
But we keep doing our best...whole grains, fruits and/or vegetables with every meal, and I recently switched from margarine to butter. That felt like a victory! The sugar thing is an ongoing battle for us, but one step at a time.
Zamara says
Thanks for posting this it makes me feel great. Before following this blog I considered myself pretty healthy too but I have certainly learned a lot thanks to Lisa. I can identify very much with your story and I would consider myself an 85% too.
Carrie says
Excellent article. My family is on our journey of healthy eating for over a year and the results are amazing. Tastebuds are changing and health is better. I took the approach of changing one thing at time. One month was to find 10 tasty green smoothies, then 10 good sweets recipes, another month 10 healthy soup recipes, salad dressings, 10 new dinner recipes.... When I focus on one thing, it doesn't seem as overwhelming and overtime we are eating healthier and healthier.
Stephanie says
My kids were Jif addicts too until I switched to Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator peanut butter. It is sweetened with evaporated cane juice but only has 4 ingredients and is non GMO.
As for everything else, we're just doing the best we can. We do buy some convenience foods but try and make sure they are non GMO and/or organic whenever possible. Things like canned beans do cost more but they seem to make cooking at home a little easier. I compromise when buying produce, some are organic and some are conventional but I favor local whenever I can. Meat is always organic, and free range when I can find it. I have found that I love Amazon and Tropical Traditions for bulk orders of pantry basics and Costco is a big help when our farmer's market is closed.
Rachel South says
Thank you for posting this! I have been trying to make the switch in our house. Pregnancy cravings and adjusting to being a working mom were our two biggest set backs over the past couple of years. I would say we're between 50 and 75% now. Lately we've cut way back on our meat intake which has helped a ton... here's to hoping that being off this summer helps even more!
Jen says
I love this because we are a family of 7 and it is so hard to convert completely for the very reasons mentioned above. But we have made lot of changes. Thx for a great post and blog!
kim says
Kiran,
I think I'm about where you are; however, I do eat an occasional store bought cookie or cracker, but I'm definitely more informed after reading this site and Food Babe's. I'm on the opposite side where I'm an empty nester, so sometimes I throw the occasional frozen (gasp) pizza in the oven, but I've managed to completely cut white flour with bread, tortillas etc. I buy bison or grass fed beef, free range chicken when I can and try to eat fresh fruit or vegetables with every meal. I think at least when you know the decision you make is an informed one.
Jennifer J says
I SO appreciate this post. We started our whole food journey about a year ago when we discovered that our 2-yr old was having horrible behavioral reactions to artificial food coloring. I found this site (along with a host of other information), and tried to change our family of 5’s diet almost overnight for the sake of our youngest. This site has been such an excellent source of recipes and real life tips for eating real food. And while our youngest has to avoid unnatural ingredients (and gluten), we do a pretty good job of keeping the rest of our family on a MOSTLY real food diet. But, like you, we can't possibly buy all organic, all non-GMO food. But I'm proud of how far we've come. Last year, my kids were eating cookie dough and smores Poptarts for breakfast (sue me). Now, they often eat organic pomegranate toaster pastries with a banana for breakfast. The healthiest? Probably not. But we've come a long way. I'm proud of us all for that, and I don't feel guilty for the occasional treats we enjoy. I'm thankful for this site, and I'm especially thankful for the lack of judgment for those of us who can't be the Food Babe :)
Annemarie (Real Food Real Deals) says
This is so nice to read, Kiran. Bread has been the biggest hurdle for my family because my kids don't like the Great Harvest bread. They're not thrilled with my homemade wheat bread either, but I'm still working on it. I'm curious about the switch you made from one grocery store to another. Have you discovered all the affordable organics at Costco? I've been able to buy so many more types of organic food now that I belong to Costco because their organic prices are sometimes even better than the conventional prices at my mainstream grocery stores.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Hi Annemarie,
Bread was tough for us, too. Honestly, I think it just takes time. Hang in there!
Re: grocery stores - I used to shop Harris Teeter. Then I went to Trader Joe's. Now I mainly do Earth Fare or Whole Foods. They are definitely pricier, but if you shop smart, you can definitely save - esp at EF. Look for a post in the near future regarding saving at stores like both of these! We are not members of Costco but have heard great things about their organic offerings.
BTW ... tried some of your recipes and love them! :)
Annemarie (Real Food Real Deals) says
Thanks, Kiran! I'm looking forward to the post about saving at Whole Foods and Earth Fare. One of my favorite topics! :)
JW says
I've been following 100days for a year or so, but I too feel a bit overwhelmed! I SO appreciate this post because this is how my family is progressing. We aren't even at 85% yet, but we're making small steps in the right direction. I'm encouraged by the steps you've taken. I will keep at it until I feel like I have reached OUR 100%. Like you said: it's not necessarily the same for everyone. Thank you!
Cary says
Thanks for your honesty. It has been a tough transition for my family and when I think about where we started and where we are now, we truly have lots of reasons to be proud of the changes we've made. And still.....it is easy for us to judge ourselves harshly and think that our 85% isn't enough...when it just is exactly what we are capable and comfortable doing and should be honored and celebrated!
Meghan says
I agree that we're also probably 85-90% and not because I couldn't convert the other 10-15%, but simply because I don't want to or can't afford to. We don't do organic and we don't do local meats due to cost. I see nothing wrong with a regular pizza or going out to eat at a favorite restaurant and getting what you want and what tastes good every now and again (2-3 times a month) and enjoying your food life if that's what you enjoy. There are some things I will not change, but many that I have and many recipes I have used and love from here. I think compared to the rest of the country we're doing very well, but our world doesn't revolve around it and that's what is important.
Jessica says
I agree! As much as I Like to think we are 100% real food it's almost impossible to get away from how our society or how other family eat. If we go out to eat or eat at a relatives or kids get a treat at school, it isn't up to my standards but it's the reality of how the majority eat
Kari Routledge says
Thank you for this post. With my husband now a cancer survivor we have made many changes. That is why I absolutely love following 100 days. We are both running and fixing almost all meals from scratch at home. I am obsessed with reading about healthy eating, reading labels, and overhauling our pantry and fridge. 100 days is very realistic and easy to start making changes. We still love an occasional pizza and since we travel to watch my son run at his university we haven't made major changes to eating while traveling yet. The big joke at our house is my husband and daughter saying "Let me guess, you read that somewhere!" Lol! The downfall to following 100 days are some comments made by people. And I mean the negative ones. I won't knock people who mill their own wheat, knock all dairy even organic, raise chickens for eggs, etc. but it really bothers me when we are trying to make changes for the better and people knock everything down. I simply don't have time to do it all but I'm thrilled with the changes - one step at a time! Keep the advice coming 100 Days and ignore the negativity! I'm a fan!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
Thanks for sharing your story! I'm doing my best to buy as few processed foods as possible, too. Whenever I can, I make things like bread, graham crackers, whole grain fruit bars, etc. from scratch. I'm always on the lookout for new recipes for homemade, healthy snacks for my kids, and I've found quite a few so far that my kids really like. It's just not always possible with time constraints to make everything from scratch, so you will find the occasional box of crackers in our cupboard. My goal is to be balanced in our eating, with most of our food made of whole grains, fresh produce, and protein, but we do enjoy treats sometimes too.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Sounds like you are doing a great job, Kristine. I agree - my kids like almost all of the unprocessed snacks/bars/crackers that I make, and I do my best to always have them on hand. Unfortunately time gets the best of us sometimes. Keep doing what you're doing! :)
JW says
The family minus the dad is about 85% Dad, who knows what he consumes at work. At home we eat a lot of veg, apples, but most other fruit is very expensive where we live. Our biggest challenges are white tortillas, but aren't they better than white bread as there is less of it? White flower in baking because not all recipes lend themselves to whole wheat flour, and Ritz crackers and tortilla chips but the salsa is homemade so that makes up for it right? We eat meat maybe once or twice a week. We live in a very rural area as in, on Friday night we went and watched the new flashing red light at the four way intersection blink,so eating out or having food delivered is a no go. But the hardest for us adults was getting us to eat the veg that the kids loved. We try and that is all we can do, even a little bit helps.
Allison Harwood says
I have found that spelt flour works good for baking. It is similar to whole wheat but baked goods do not turn out as dense as they do when you use whole wheat flour. I think it's available on Amazon.
Ruth says
Thanks for sharing! We are no where near 100% , I'd say somewhere near 60% maybe better now that we went with an organic delivery service and only because it was the only delivery service not because of it being organic. Lol, laziness has made us eat healthier!
Kelli Hogg says
Kudos to you for being REAL! It is HARD to only eat real foods and to cut out sugar. I think most of us feel that if we can't do it 100% then why bother trying at all! Thank you for convincing me that even small changes are worth it!
Erin says
I loved this article! I came across Lisa and 100 Days of Real food about six months ago and have slowly been trying to our family diet. We're no where near 100%. I'm not even sure if we're 50% but we've been making changes for the better. Right now most of our dinners are made from scratch and most of our snacks pass the real food test. Breakfast is really hard but we switched our cereal for granola (store bought) with organic milk and eat yogurt sweetened with honey and fruit on top. Last week we stopped buying (most) stuff with added sugar. It's so nice to know that we don't have to be 100% all the time or from the start. We definitely eat healthier now and that's the real goal for us. We'll eventually get there one step at a time.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
You've got that right, Erin - one step at a time. You are getting there; kudos to you!! :)
Aviva Goldfarb says
I love reading about your journey, Kiran. Like you we're more like 85 percenters and trying to do better all the time. My kids are definitely developing a taste for whole wheat products and embracing more whole grains, and I'm making a lot more of my own products like beans and ranch dressing. This week my whole family is doing a no sugar challenge--so far so good.
Rachel says
Thank you so much for sharing! I love this blog but sometimes it is overwhelming to see all Lisa manages to accomplish. I am struggling to find the balance and learn a new way of cooking. I love that I am not alone in the struggle. Thanks for your honesty!